I wanted to build a value-creating organization: Suchi Mukherjee

Suchi Mukherjee is a versatile, creative entrepreneur who turned her dream into reality with India’s most extensive online shopping platform LIMEROAD. With her continuous and long term effort, limeroad has become a company that gives local sellers a stage to sell, enable users to discover amazing products at affordable prices and share their unique style sensibilities as a part of an active Scrapbooking community, exclusive to LimeRoad.

Q1. LimeRoad has become a household name. How did you thought of starting your own business?

I came back to India in 2011 with a vision of creating a home grown global brand. It had been years since we’ve had a world class product made in India. With a passion for driving change and innovation which is also the core of LimeRoad’s culture, I started working towards the quest for building something transformational. LimeRoad was the inception of an idea that came to me while reading a glossy magazine during one of those rare ‘me time’ moments after the birth of my second child in London. I had taken a break from work and utilized the time I had to introspect my career.

Q2. Once an employee, now the founder of a company. What changes you feel in you as a person?

My journey started as a member of the team which designed India’s first special purpose financing vehicle and then the world’s largest aviation insurance company. I went on to work for eBay contributing to its early business in UK which went on to become the largest market for the company. I later went on to become a member of the Executive Management team at Skype and led teams that designed and launched the biggest upgrade in Skype’s history. Before coming to India, I worked as the Managing Director & CEO of Gumtree, UK’s largest online classified business.

There aren’t any drastic changes as a person. I wanted to build a value-creating organization and I continue to do so. The only difference is that the team I look after is much larger.

Q3. Who is your inspiration cum motivator?

Needless to say, my mother has been my biggest source of inspiration. I think I’ve inherited my mother’s fighter gene that has always helped me battle all the challenges that came my way.

Also, I am grateful to have an extremely supportive family. The unconditional support from my family has been the most constant motivation factor throughout my journey of LimeRoad, right back to the days when it was just an idea.

Q4. What challenges you went through while establishing this venture?

With my past experiences I found that challenges are everywhere. One needs to start off with the basics and devise a plan to deal with teething issues.

The basic challenge at the initial stage of business was finding great people for the team. The combination of skill and can-do attitude was hard. I always lay emphasis on finding the right talent. Experience, for me, is secondary. It is more important to look for the growth potential in an individual.

There were also complexities with basic infrastructure including things as basic as reliable internet, bank processes etc.

Q5. Do you find any difficulty in maintaining your personal and professional life?

As an entrepreneur who is also a mother, a daughter, a partner….balancing becomes very hard. So, instead of chasing a balanced state, I make decisions wisely that help minimize frictions heightening the state of imbalance. Despite being a die-hard Delhi girl, I moved to Gurgaon solely to spend more time with my kids in the mornings and drop them off to school. Given the large possibility of imbalances, you need a supportive family to ensure you aren’t guilt-tripping. On this one, I am blessed with a highly supportive partner, parents and in-laws. Wise allocation of hours, well-thought through trade-offs and immense support from my family gives me a somewhat balanced life, at least by the end of the week.

Q.7 How is LimeRoad different from other e-commerce sites and what was the idea behind this name?

The name LimeRoad has been inspired by the 16th century Grand Trunk Road which went on to become the most transformational trade routes in Asia. We have created a digital equivalent of that and called it LimeRoad where ‘Lime’ stands for freshness.

LimeRoad’s mantra is clear- discovery over discounts. Deviating from the widely followed industry trend, LimeRoad derives engagement by encouraging discovery rather than using discounts as a buy bait. Fashion cannot be sold without making it discoverable, aspirational and affordable, LimeRoad has done that all. It offers ‘fashion on steroids’ with 14,000 new products and 30,000 new styles added every day. It has an innovative take on the age old consumer behavior which was not just about ‘aaj saste mein kya hai?’ but also about ‘aaj naya kya hai?’

LimeRoad continuous growth is a testament to the underlying engine that users want great new products and not just discounts.

Q9. One thing you would like to say to your desired customers?

Discover amazing products and share your unique style sensibilities as a part of an active Scrapbooking community, exclusively to LimeRoad.